REYNARD

Reynard is a surname of French and Germanic origin, recorded across the British Isles and continental Europe. The name first appears in England following the Norman invasion of 1066, and today it can be found in several spellings such as Renard, Reynault, Renardin, Regenhardin, and Reintjes. The surname is generally considered patronymic, identifying the descendants of an individual who bore the personal name Raginhard.

The Old Germanic personal name Raginhard is composed of the elements ragin, meaning counsel, and hard, meaning brave or strong. Thus the name conveys the notion of someone who is both wise and courageous. Variants such as Reinhard in German and Renard in French reflect the linguistic spread of the root name across Europe.

After the Norman conquest, the name became established in England, with spellings like Rainardi and Rainart appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, specifically in Norfolk. These early records indicate that the surname was brought by Norman settlers and that it was adopted by their descendants in the English countryside.

In medieval literature the word renard was the French term for a fox, a creature synonymous with cunning and craftiness. Consequently, some scholars posit that the surname Reynard may also have arisen as a nickname for a person deemed particularly sly or shrewd. This theory is supported by the cultural prominence of the cunning fox in medieval beast‑tales, where the character of Reynard the Fox was a celebrated figure of wit and guile.

The earliest surviving record of the family name dates back to 1205, when Elias Reynardi is mentioned at St. Benet of Holme in Norfolk. This entry falls within the reign of King John (1199–1216) and is often cited as the first documented instance of the name in the metonymic form Reynardi. Subsequent medieval records include the name Henry Renard in the Subsidy Rolls of Hampshire in 1325, and James Reynard recorded on 29 July 1571 at St. Botolph without Aldgate in London.

In contemporary times, the surname Reynard and its variants remain widespread across England, Germany and France, and can also be found in other countries where English diaspora established roots. The surname retains its traditional spelling variations, reflecting its medieval and linguistic heritage. Though the name is predominantly associated with Christian families in the British Isles, its historical context shows a strong connection to early Norman settlement, occupational naming conventions and literary tradition.

Typical given names associated with the Reynard surname

Male

• Alan
• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Stephen

Female

• Brenda
• Catherine
• Claire
• Dorothy
• Jacqueline
• Jane
• Jean
• Lisa
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Reynard in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Surname type: Occupational name

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Reynard

• Adrian Reynard - Businessman
• Melissa Reynard - Cricketer

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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